I suppose Alec Baldwin just can’t help himself at this point. MSNBC has suspended “Up Late with Alec Baldwin” following the temperamental star’s latest run in with the paparazzi. A video of the incident was featured on TMZ and shows Baldwin confronting several photographers while allegedly calling one a “c**ksucking f*g”. From ABC News:

The cable channel didn’t specify the reason it yanked Friday night’s “Up Late with Alec Baldwin” from its schedule this week and next, but the decision came the day after the Thursday run-in.

In a statement on MSNBC website, Baldwin wrote that he “did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with my choice of words, but clearly I have — and for that I am deeply sorry.”

Naturally Twitter has become the go to place for reactions on the story. Baldwin himself posted numerous tweets early on questioning the accusations of homophobia and later scrubbed his account of any reference, which is pretty useless in the Internet age.

Best of all is Anderson Cooper’s reaction to this second round of slurs. Taking a break from reporting on the crisis in the Philippines, Cooper posted his thoughts on Baldwin’s comments and resulting explanation.

I didn’t think Baldwin’s show would last long in the first place considering MSNBC’s ratings woes as of late, but this has to be a torpedo for the whole production. A two week suspension is light compared to public perception of your character and being known as a homophobe is a lot worse than being known as a hot head.

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MSNBC really lucked out. It must be like an 80s comedy where two tv execs where like “his ratings stink but he’s an established actor, what are we gonna do?” And then the tv behind him came on with Baldwin calling some reporter a queer or whatever and they looked at each other, “I got it!” Freeze frame! Credits!

Not really. You’d be amazed at how often those who consider them most tolerant insult those on the other side by calling them calling them some form of gay. Take a look at a Sarah Silverman’s latest humor about Rick Perry. Seriously, if being gay is so wonderful for lefites, why not start insisting those on the right are flying unicorns as well?

Yes but Cheney was part of an administration that actively sought to restrict gay rights and encouraged an attitude hostile towards gays. He didn’t stand up until after he was out of office, that is worse than anything idiot Baldwin can say.

What about Sylvester Stallone calling that paparazzi a nigger? Honestly, those TMZ/paparazzi people are such worthless scum you should be able to assault them and call them any name you want with immunity.

I don’t think the outrage is phony. I was in the presence of a guy who who used the word “fag” more than a few times. I told him that it’s inappropriate and he should really get some perspective before he does that shit. And I’m a Republican. I wouldn’t teach my son to treat people like that–even when “I was angry” is a somewhat valid excuse these days–so why should some whiney, cry-baby asshole like Baldwin get to say it without having to feel the golf ball-sized hail of a shitstorm? Saying dumb, hurtful shit is usually reserved for the moments leading up to a bar fight, not for public personalities who pretend to care about causes while stepping all over them.

Paula Deen was lit on fire because she made racist remarks and seemed to have a pattern of intolerance in her life. We killed her for it, and I’m not necessarily saying we were wrong to do so. Alec Baldwin has a history of saying homophobic things and he deserves the grief that he’s getting. You think if Sean Hannity–the right’s version of the bloviating, shitheel “personality”–said this he would get off with a two game suspension? I for one am happy to give someone a second chance and allow them to learn from their mistakes. When they are serial offenders it’s time to cut them loose.

The whole thing was a publicity stunt to get you to pay attention to MSNB… MS… you know, the other, leftier CNN. Now you’ll want to know what replaces his stunt of a show, and you might even tune in. Bing, bang, boom.

I don’t really see the big deal. Sure if he was like some 20 year old people would be right to criticize him. But he is an old guy. Fag has been the go to insults for A LOT of time now. It’s ingrained into quite a few people’s minds and in highly emotionally charged situations it’s normal that it will slip out. So yeah. I don’t see this as that big of a deal. Especially since he was using it as a regular insult and not specifically against someone gay. A quick apology should suffice

I think people just blurt out whatever insult comes to mind when they are mad, they don’t stop to think about how insensitive it will be for a particular subset of people. Call someone a cunt/bitch, you are insulting women, call them a fag you are insulting gays, etc etc ad infinitum. I don’t think you can escape it. I had someone tell me douchebag was offensive to women though I was directing it at a affliction shirt wearing fist pumper. The point of an insult is to insult, when you try and mix up political correctness, all you end up doing is limiting the ability to insult others. If the paparazzi was not gay, then it was not slander against gays. What’s next, calling someone a motherfucker is slanderous to mothers?

What’s really offensive here is Baldwin’s notion that homophobic language should be used as an insult. If Baldwin were as smart as he thinks he is, he could come up with something more effective and less likely to offend innocent parties.

Maybe he needs David Mamet to put effective language in his mouth, but Mamet has progressed past the point of wanting to work with the likes of Baldwin again.

Besides, I thought the left loved the gays–or is that only in election years?

Yeah, but it shouldn’t even be in the subconscious. You or I or most anyone else here would never think of calling somebody a fag. My gay friends call each other by that name, but they don’t think it’s an insult either.

Eh no. Most of us would not only think but I am pretty sure we have called plenty of people fags. Not gays but simply assholes we didn’t like.. In the last few years with the way culture is changing we have managed to supress this reflex but it’s one thing for young people like us and a whole different thing for someone as old as him